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Our Favorite Apps for 2018

There is no denying that the advent of smartphones has helped to revolutionize travel. All that information is right at your fingertips waiting for you to access it. But with all the apps out there claiming to help make your adventures easier, it can be overwhelming to figure out which ones to use.

Please note: Some of these apps require being connected to wifi or to have a working data plan. Please confirm before using them outside your service area so that you don’t get an unexpected surprise with your phone bill.

Keeping track of all your travel details can be complicated. With planes, trains, and rental cars alone it is daunting. That’s where TripIt comes in. With the free version, you are able to forward them your confirmation emails and everything gets places in a nice readable itinerary. If you upgrade to the pro version, it will even send you live updates about your flights AND help find alternative flights if you happen to need to rebook. There’s another headache solved.

With a tagline like “personal travel assistant,” you can count on being well looked after. App in the Air helps you stay on top of your flight status even when you aren’t online. Once you enter your travel information, they create a timeline that breaks your journey into four stages: Check-in, Boarding, Take-Off, and Landing. Along the way, it gives you any updates of potential changes and even provides an overview of airport wait times (like security and passport lines). A fun added perk is that it lets you track all your travel stats in your profile showing you how many countries, airports, aircrafts and more you’ve enjoyed! How will you compare?

Heading to a new country and wish you had paid a little more attention during your language class back in high school? Want to get a little more fluent in THAT language? There are plenty of apps out there that can help you, but few get you quite as conversational as Babbel. With bite-sized lessons, you don’t have to feel like you’re taking language intensive while still gaining plenty of knowledge. Even better? It’s super affordable. Fluent just became a little easier to reach.

Traveling to the United States? Mobile Passport is your fast pass through customs. You load in all your information (they will even scan your passport for you) and complete all your customs forms through the app. Once you land just follow the signs to the designated Mobile Passport control line and you’re home free! The only hiccup is that only there are only 24 airports currently using the system. But trust us, if you are flying into one of them, this app will make your arrival all the more enjoyable.

We may be biased (okay, we are totally biased) but we love being able to stay in touch with our Exchange Partners through our app. Not only can you send and receive messages, but you can also search for future exchanges. Take the power (and fun) of HomeExchange with you wherever you may go. Learn more about our app in this recent blog post.

This is a continually evolving subject, and we are sure that we missed a few of your favorites, so be sure to add your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below!